Somaliland: Security Reigns Supreme as Local Government Elections Conclude

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The fifth democratic elections to be held in the country in two decades have ended peacefully.

The ministry of interior has announced that Security forces will stand down from their high alert after all ballot boxes from each and every polling station are safely delivered to the custody of the National Election Commission-NEC headquarters in Hargeisa.

This was revealed by the minister of interior Hon Mohamed Duur Arale during an evening press briefing in his offices where he also commended citizens for their outstanding conduct during the local council elections that saw only four people injured in election related violence.

Said he, “Imagine a country without recognition, finances achieving a feat as the one we have just done which is never attained in more developed African nations”

The security chief who was flanked by the National police commissioner Gen Abdilahi Fadal Iman praised the national security forces for their outstanding performance that saw NEC manage to conduct elections in 21 districts nationwide, a feat that has never been achieved before.

“For the first time elections have taken place in a number of local councils in the eastern regions of the country despite minor mishaps from some thugs masquerading as militias.

The interior minister acknowledge the existence of minor skirmishes between national security forces and some militias in those areas, Saying, “Attacks by thugs in Hudun necessitated the withdrawal of ballot boxes from some polling centres in the district which were later returned after the thugs were repulsed by the national army”

A visible happy interior minister who announced the end of the election exercise said that the local council elections which are the fifth time for Somalilanders to go to the polls has cemented country’s democratization process, having been undertaken in all the existing local councils nationwide.

“While balloting took place all over the nation, a few polling centres in some councils were withdrawn in order to protect citizens and maintain prevalent peace and security.

Hon Duur Arale who stressed on the importance of the council polls, thanked citizens for their outstanding performance in the elections whose objectives is not only the election of councilors for the 21 local governments but the three political parties to be registered from the seven that contested.

In conclusion the interior minister urged the political leadership and their respective candidates to adhere to existing laws while waiting for election results and afterwards, Said he, “If after elections any one has a grievance there are established legal mechanisms created for arbitration thus whoever transgresses against the laid down procedures shall be dealt in accordance with the law”

During the just concluded elections seven political entities were vying for the three positions of official national political parties to be registered for the next decade as per the dictates of the constitution while 2,368 candidates were vying for less than 400 seats in the 21 local councils.